Foot-operated device for flushing toilets



Patented Nov. 21, 1 950 FOOT-OPERATED DEVICE FOR FLUSHING 'rorLs'rs Walter Rothe and Ernest E. Bethe, New York, N. Y.

Application October 22, 1948, Serial No. 55,996

(Cl. i -2%) 3 Claims.

1 This invention relates to pedal operators for flush valves, and more particularly to a foot operated device for flushing toilets, which includes changeable pictorial or advertising means opering deodorizing means for purifying the atmosphere adjacentto a toilet'bowl concurrently with the flushing thereof.

A further object of the'invention is to provide an improved foot operated device for flushing toilets, said device being readily connected to the operating handle of a conventional toilet installation and including deodorizing means rendered efiective responsive to the operation of the toilet flush valve, the device further including changeable pictorial means operated responsive to the actuation of said flush valve whereby an incentive is provided to the user of the toilet to flush same, said changeable pictorial means being useful as an advertising medium.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved foot operated device as mentioned above which can easily be detached from the floor while the floor is being cleaned.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view, partly broken away, of the cabinet portion of a footoperated toilet flushing attachment constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and showing additional elements of the toilet flushing. attachment.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional detail view taken on line 33 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional detail View taken on line l% of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail cross-sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings, I! generally designates a cabinet in which some components of the device are housed, said cabinet being adapted to be secured to the wall adjacent the toilet bowl by suitable screws I2, or the like, as shown in Figure 2. Secured horizontally in cabinet H is a shaft I3 and rotatably mounted on said shaft is a cylindrical roller l4.

Extending through the cabinet II and passing slidably through the top and bottom walls thereof is a rubber-covered flexible cable l5 which frictionally engages the roller [4 in the manner shown in Figure 2. The top end of the rubber sheathing of cable I5 terminates in a cup element it which is fitted tightly over the handle ll of the toilet pull chain l8, thereby connecting cable l5 to handle ll. The lower end of cable is is pivotally connected to one end of a treadle plate 19, the other end of plate l9 being pivotally connected to a rubber suction cup 20 which is engaged with the floor of the toilet adjacent the toilet bowl and is secured thereto by suction. By exerting foot pressure on treadle plate is,

tension is developed in cable I5 which is transmitted to chain is, causing the flush valve of the toilet to be operated.

Designated at 2| is a deodorant container supported on the bottom wallof cabinet II in an annular seat 22 located rearwardly of cable l5. Secured to the rear wall of the cabinet above seat 22 is a vertical sleeve 23 in which is slidably positioned a relatively heavy cylindrical plunger 2d normally resting on the top opening of container 2i and acting as a closure therefor. Sleeve 23 is formed with an opening 25 through which roller Hi projects, said roller being in frictional engagement with plunger 24. Downward movement of cable l5 rotates roller M counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, causing plunger 24 to be raised and opening the deodorant container 2!. Release of treadle plate l9 allows chain E8- to raise cable 55 to its normal position, allowing plunger 24 to descend to the initial position thereof, closing ofi container 2|. Therefore, each time the flush valve is actuated by treadle plate it volatile deodorant is allowed to escape from container 2! during the period in which said treadle plate is depressed.

Rotatably mounted on shaft I3 adjacent the forward end of roller I4 is a gear 26. Secured to roller it is a resilient finger 2'5 yieldably engageablejin spaced recesses 28 formed in gear 26 and acting to couple the gear to the roller during the counterclockwise rotation of said roller, as viewed in Figure 2, but disengaging from the gear during the return clockwise movement of the roller.

Secured in housing H parallel to shaft i3 is aft 29 on which is rotatably mounted a drum avin secured thereto a gear 3! which meshes with gear 26. Secured to the front wall of cabinet l l is a resilient pawl finger 32 which engages the teeth of gear 3! and limits rotation of said gear to a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2. Gear 3! is rotated clockwise by gear 26 when the treadle plate i9 is depressed, but is held stationary by resilient finger 32 when the roller l4 rotates through its return clockwise movement following the release of said treadle plate.

Secured radially on drum 30 are the exhibitor cards 33, carrying pictorial views, advertising matter, or the like, the front wall of cabinet ll being formed with a transparent viewing window 34 adjacent said cards. Said front wall is alsoformed with a projection 35 subadjacent the window 3a, which engages the cards in the manner shown in Figure 3, holding the uppermost card adjacent said projection exposed so that it may be viewed through the window. Each time gear 3| is rotated clockwise, as above described, the cards 33 are moved past projection 35, bringing a new card into view at window 34. Therefore, each time treadle I9 is depressed, a new scene appears at window 34, creating an incentive to the user of the toilet to flush same, in order to observe a new picture in the window 34.

Secured to cabinet ll adjacent window 3 is amirror 36.

Mounted on the bottom wall of cabinet ll is a suitable bracket 3? on which is mounted a roll of toilet paper 38, the paper passing through a slot formed in the bottom wall of the cabinet so as to be readily accessible to the user of the toilet. The front wall of the cabinet H has a hinged main section. 39, said section 39 defining a front closure for the cabinet which may be opened for renewal of the toilet roll 38 and for replacement of the deodorant containerv 2i. Hinged section 39 is formed with a plurality of spaced apertures 48 through which the deodorant vapor may escape and through which the amount of toilet paper 38 remaining on the roll may be visually determined.

The use of the above described device is obviously not limited to toilets of the pull chain type, and may be employed with any type of toilet having an operating handle, as for example, with toilets of the lever handle operated type. When employed with lever handle operated toilets the cup element it is frictionaly secured over the lever handle in the same manner as it is secured to the handle l? of the pull chain, as above described, the remaining elements of the device being installed in the same manner as previously described.

While a specific embodiment of a foot-operated flushing attachment for toilets has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by thescope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A flush valve operating device for a toilet of the handle operated type, comprising a cabinet adapted to be secured to a wall adjacent the toilet, a flexible cable extending slidably through said cabinet, means securing the top end of said cable to the flush valve handle of said toilet, foot actuable means operatively connected to the lower end of said cable, a deodorant container in said cabinet, a closure member normally resting on the top of said container and mounted in said cabinet for upward and downward movcment with respect to said container and a friction roller journalled horizontally in said cabinet between said cable and said closure member and frictionally engaging the cable and closure member, whereby said closure member is raised responsive to the downward movement of said cable.

2. A flush valve operating device for a toilet of the handle operated type, comprising a cabinet adapted to be secured to a wall adjacent the toilet, a flexible cable extending slidably through said cabinet, means securing the top end of said cable to the flush valve handle of said toilet, foot actuable means operatively connected to the .lower end of said cable, a deodorant container in said cabinet, a vertical sleeve secured in said cabinet over said container, a closure member slidably positioned in said sleeve and normally resting on.

the top of said container, and a friction roller journalled horizontally in said cabinet between said cable and said closure member and frictionally engaging the cable and closure member, whereby said closure member is raised responsive to the downward movement of said cable.

3. A flush valve operating device for a toilet of the handle operated type, comprising a cabinet adapted. to be secured to the wall adjacent the toilet, a flexible cable extending slidably through said cabinet, means securing the top end of said cable to the flush valve handle of the toilet, a treadle bar, a suction cup pivotally secured to one.

end portion of said bar and engageable with the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

